Over Train, Part II

The first thing Wu Meiying taught Hou Jingshu was how to fall properly.

“There’s a correct way to fall?” asked a gawking Hou Jingshu.

“Yes.” Nodding, Wu Meiying smiled and explained. “If you fall without taking the proper precautions, you can hurt yourself very easily. For example, what if you fall and land on your head? That would hurt much worse than landing on your arm. Head injuries can be pretty serious. You could also fall improperly on your arm and dislocate your shoulder, which would make it hard to continue fighting.”

“Then what is the proper, um, procedure for falling?” asked Hou Jingshu.

“The correct way to fall is to tuck your chin in, turn your head, and throw up an arm. You should also twist or roll your body to the side when falling. This will prevent you from landing on your back and getting the wind knocked out of you.”